Salish-Xootenai Community College
::OX 1020
Ronan, MT 59364
PABLO, MONTANA 59855 ISSN: 0528-8592
NEWSPAPER OF THE SAUSH. PEND (TOREILLE AND KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION , WESTERN MONTANA
VOLUME 11 NUMBER 4 FULL MOON OF THE SERVICEBERRY JULY I, 1982
Money-saving reorganization plan passes probation
As might be discerned by looking at this month's calendar (see page 17) the Tribal Council finds its new meeting schedule agreeable. Word has it that the eight-meetings-a-month plan will be in effect at least until the end of this fiscal year.
While the Council seems satisfied with the new plan, one drawback has been discovered: Eight meetings mean eight sets of minutes. That much information, plus reports of other doings on the Rez and elsewhere in Indian Country, are making for some lack-of-space problems in the ol' Tribal newsletter.
Until we manage to catch up with the official record of what's happening in the Council Chambers, here's a brief summary, greatly condensed from four sets of minutes:
July quarterly is the 2nd
Although July 2nd has been declared an official day off for Tribal employees (because we were denied the right to sleep in or watch soap operas on Washington's birthday), some of us will be trucking to Pablo as usual that day.
The reason? The Tribal Constitution demands that quarterly Council meetings will be held the first Friday of January, April, July and October. This year's first Friday of July happens to fall on the 2nd - our in-lieu-of holiday.
Rhetoric aside, here are the complete details: Third quarterly Council meeting, Friday, Jury 2, 9 am., at the Council Chambers in Pablo. Lunch will be served -- an agreeable consolation prize for those of us unable to spend the day 'pow wowing*.
Tribal Court: Some people, it seems, are making it a habit of dropping court charges after the 'complained against' has spent a few days in jail. In an effort to hasten the cooling off period, and decrease the "waffling", the Council voted June 8 to set up this fee schedule: Every time a complainant drops charges prior to an arraignment, he or she will be charged $25, plus $25 for each day the defendant sits in jail.
MX Missiles: The Council went on record June 11 as opposed to having any MX missiles in Montana The resolution said their presence in the state would make Montana a "number one nuclear target", threatening the security of the Tribal people. The resolution also supports putting Initiative 91 on this November's general ballot.
Tribal Wilderness Area: Six years in the proposal and development stage, the Tribal Mission Mountain Wilderness now has a set of guidelines for its future management The Council accepted the plan June 15, and approved Ordinance 79A, which gives the plan some 'legal teeth'. (The Recreation Program promises to provide us with detailed information at a later date.)
Consumer Credit Counseling: The Council approved the concept of providing Tribal members with help managing their debts. The Credit and ANA departments will be setting up the new service, which is supposed to be self-supporting within a year, after receiving seed money from two grants. Further details will be provided, once the project goes beyond the concept stage.
Shoreline Protection Board: Gem Mercer, Jack Grieves, and Joe Schnieder became the newest non-Indian members on this controversial Tribal board. The three men agreed to serve after being specifically invited to do so by the Council.